Window Film Takes Center Stage at NFRC Spring Meeting
Attendees of the 2013 National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) spring
committee meeting, held in St. Petersburg, Fla., April 8-10, 2013, were
invited to participate in an optional evening excursion to view the area’s
first net-zero building and tour a Madico Window Film plant.

At the first stop of the night, the first net-zero building,
currently occupied by the Sierra Club and two other tentants, Tom Hall,
building developer and manager of All Florida Management, says the energy-efficient
building has generated the building’s average energy credit at full production
to be around $700 per month.

One of the highest-performing products, noted Hall, was
the Madico window film used on the low-E windows in the building. The
filmed windows were used instead of insulating glass windows which Hall
said would not perform as well in the warmer environment.

The film, according to Hall, offered a lower-cost option
that boosted the overall efficiency of the windows, helping to bring down
the cost of the project without lowering the efficiency. The SunGard dual-reflective
Optivision 25 film used on the building was also installed with an exterior
perforated jet-tinting image film with one of the tenant’s logos. Hall
said the use of the decorative film also helped the company get around
a town ordinance on street signage. The next stop at Madico’s plant offered
attendees a glimpse into the manufacturing and assembly process for developing
window films. Attendees were welcomed with a reception as Darrell Smith,
NFRC board member and executive director of the International Window Film
Association, explained the assembly and coating processes as well as the
benefits of film in a presentation. Attendees were then invited to tour
the facility with staff and review the many components to window film
construction.

The changes apply to products that use shading systems (blinds,
shades, etc.) “that are integral to the product as shipped from the manufacturer,
including dynamic attachments for swinging doors,” according to NFRC.
These changes, however, do not apply to aftermarket items.

Leonetti Leads Madico’s Customer Relations
St. Petersburg, Fla.-based Madico Window Films has promoted Angie Leonetti
to marketing and customer relations manager for its window film division.
Leonetti will lead Madico’s global customer relations team, overseeing
the company’s customer relations, service optimization and sales order
procurement and fulfillment in addition to her marketing responsibilities.

“Combining global customer relations with marketing and
communications is a logical step, which I believe strengthens Madico’s
commitment to addressing each individual customer need and delivering
exceptional service,” said Leonetti. “I look forward to utilizing my role
as a bridge between these departments to help our dedicated customer relations
team build upon an already impressive customer experience.”

U.S. Film Crew Victim of Three-Alarm Fire
Headquarters of the Pittsburgh-based U.S. Film Crew burned down as a result
of what authorities are calling an electrical fire. The three-alarm fire
started around 8 a.m. March 16; no injuries were reported.

Company president and CEO Glenn Yocca said, “We were fortunate
no one was hurt.”

Despite losing the building in which Yocca had ownership
interests, the company remains open for business.

“A lot of our business—because we travel all over the country
for jobs and as a result of [the modern] business environment—is virtual
so we’re fortunate this isn’t going to hurt us,” he said.

Yocca also said many dealers have reached out to him following
the fire.

“It’s great to get the support from everyone,” he said.
“We appreciate knowing that we have a nice support network and that people
do care and at the end of the day that’s what it’s really about.”